1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in exercise devices and more particularly to an adjustable, compactly foldable apparatus useful in performing at least two different types of exercises.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The exercise known as a push-up is widely practiced by many people to aid in the improvement of muscular development of the arms, shoulders, chest and back. In performing the push-up, the exerciser's body is in an outstretched or prone position. The hands engage the underlying floor or other support means at sites spaced apart at shoulder width and symmetrically disposed about the body axis. Pressing downward upon such support means, the exerciser repeatedly raises and lowers his body while his feet remain in unaltered positions and the body is maintained reasonably straight and rigid.
In those instances where the hands are placed directly on the floor, proper positioning of the hands for best comfort is easily accomplished because of the continuous nature of the floor. However, the open hand engaging the flat floor causes strain at the palms and wrists because of the unnatural angular juxtaposition of the hand relative to the wrist, and this position fails to properly exercise certain muscles adjacent the elbow.
Because of the aforementioned shortcoming of using a flat surface as the hand support for push-ups, the use of handgrips has been resorted to in certain instances. Said handgrips are of generally cylindrical shape and are supported high enough above a floor or other support to enable the fingers and knuckles to pass underneath said handgrip. The use of handgrips instead of a flat surface provides greater comfort and facilitates greater involvement of muscles of the forearm and elbow regions.
Several problems are however engendered by the use of handgrips. In particular, there is the hazardous possibility that the handgrip will tip over while the exerciser's body is poised thereabove. This could result in a fractured wrist or other injuries. Efforts to design handgrips resistant to tipping or tilting movement have generally resulted in structures lacking the necessary mobility for facile adjustment of the spacing therebetween. For example, the use of immobile handgrips in apparatus for performing push-ups is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,496,577 and 3,572,701.
In the exercise known as sit-ups, the exerciser, in a supine position, raises his head and upper torso, directing them toward his feet. This exercise is particularly useful in developing the abdominal muscles. Various degrees of difficulty may be imposed in performing sit-ups, particularly by utilizing a board adjustable to different angles of inclination and having means at the upper end thereof for engaging the feet. The principle of such inclined boards for performing sit-ups is well known. However, means for elevating one end of the board and locking the board's position may require structures separate from the board itself. In those instances where means for elevation and locking are part of an integral exercise apparatus, said apparatus is generally of large size, requiring considerable space for utilization and storage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus useful for performing push-ups and sit-ups.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus for performing push-ups utilizing handgrips which are positionable and resistant to tilting.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus for performing sit-ups having an inclinable board and means for inclining said board and locking it into a desired inclined position.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide an exercise apparatus as aforementioned capable of being folded to a relatively compact size for storage and shipping purposes.
These and other object and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.